DuPont today announced that it is investing approximately $150 million to expand and upgrade manufacturing facilities in Europe, the United States and Asia to meet strong demand for its specialty ethylene copolymers in photovoltaics, packaging and automotive markets, as well as for new infrastructure in emerging economies.
This investment will result in over 200 million pounds of additional capacity, enhanced capability of our current facilities, and reduced energy consumption of our operations,” said William F. Weber, global director, DuPont Ethylene Copolymers. “Importantly, it will accelerate DuPont’s ability to respond to rapidly growing demand as we serve our customers worldwide.”
Newly announced investments include:
- Added capacity at Dordrecht, the Netherlands, to expand the global operations network for DuPont™ Fusabond® modifiers and DuPont™ Bynel® adhesive resins and to serve the European market. The new capacity is expected to be online in 2009.
- Enhanced capabilities for DuPont™ Surlyn® ionomer resin and Vamac® ethylene acrylic elastomers from DuPont Performance Elastomers and upgrades to improve energy efficiency at DuPont’s Sabine operation in Orange, Tex. These will be operational in 2008 and 2009.
- Production efficiency investments at the Victoria, Tex., facility for DuPont™ Elvax® ethlyene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) products. These will be operational in 2008 and 2009.
As previously announced, DuPont will construct an EVA facility near Beijing, China, with its joint venture partner, Sinopec. The facility, the first EVA manufacturing operation for DuPont in China, will supply a broad range of EVA products, thus strengthening DuPont’s position in the world’s fastest growing EVA market. The facility will begin operations in 2009.
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